Home Security Systems for Renters

Most of the time when people think about home security systems, they consider houses. They do not think about apartments at all.

Many people who are renting never even think about the possibility of getting a security system if they are renting a place. They might think it would be too much hassle. They might think they aren’t even allowed to get one.

Just because you are renting though, it doesn’t mean you should forego security. If anything, it means that you should be more proactive in keeping safe.

Is Getting a Home Security System Worth It?

Research from the National Crime Prevention Council has actually shown that apartments have an 85% greater chance of being broken into when compared with single family homes. You do not want to have to go through a burglary. Dealing with a break-in is never a good situation.

You could lose thousands of dollars in your personal belongings. You have to deal with broken windows or broken doors in many cases. You have to file a police report.

Most of the time, after the report goes to the police, you don’t hear much on the progress of the case. In fact, most of the time, the case doesn’t go anywhere at all.

Whether you have expensive belongings or not, it is important that you keep your home, your family, and the things you own safe. You need to do something to stay safer, and we’ll be looking at some of your options in this article.

Can You Even Get a Home Security System?

First, you are probably wondering if you are even able to get a security system for your place. If you are living in an apartment, a rented house, or a rented condo unit, the answer is that it depends, and you will want to ask the people or company that rents to you.

Once you start to look at some of the different options for your home security system, you can talk with the owners or apartment manager about the options.

In some cases, a homeowner might actually think that adding a security system is a good idea. They might even decide that they will pay for the cost of the installation, as it can help to reduce their insurance in many cases.

They might only require that you pay the monitoring fee, and they could just add that to your rent. If they don’t like the idea of a wired model, talk with them about the wireless options.

It can be far more difficult to convince an apartment manager that a wired home security system is a good idea. They might not want to make any modifications to the property.

Again, you can always talk with them about the wireless models. They shouldn’t have any issue with this. They do not damage the property at all.

One of the other benefits of the wireless model is that you can take it with you when you move.

Before you give up on the idea of getting a security system when you are renting a place, look at your options and speak with your landlord.

What Else Can You Do?

In addition to the home security system, there are some other things that you can do to help keep your apartment a little bit safer.

One of the first things to do is to check the locks on your windows. If they are old and out of date, ask the landlord to replace them, or permission to replace them on your own. You should also request that the door locks in the house or apartment be changed.

You never know who else might have keys to the place, and you don’t want to run the risk of the wrong people having access to your home. You might even want to add some additional locks.

If you have a sliding glass door that leads to a backyard, you need to make sure you secure it properly. These doors are very easy to break into, so merely locking them is not good enough.

You want to put in some reinforcement on the slider, such as an inside bar lock, or even just a piece of a broom handle. This ensures the door will not open, even if they are able to force the lock.

Consider getting a safe. If you have some items that are extremely valuable or sentimental, and that you couldn’t bear to lose, you might want to get a high quality, heavy safe.

You want something that’s large enough to hold those items, and that is too heavy for the thieves to carry out of your house on their own.

Never hide keys outside. Thieves know exactly where to look for keys, and it will be one of the first things that they look for when they try to get into your place.

No matter where you think you can hide it – under the mat, on top of an exterior light, a fake rock, or under a real rock, you can be sure that the thieves will look there.

You should also get to know your neighbors. In today’s world, it’s easy to pass the neighbors without knowing their name or even recognizing their face.

However, getting to know them a bit and having a sense of community will make the entire neighborhood or apartment complex safer. They will watch out for you, and you can watch out for them.

You will also want to get renter’s insurance. It’s similar to homeowner’s insurance, and it will protect your possessions in case someone breaks in and steals them.

The insurance won’t do anything to help you with the mental trauma of dealing with a break in, but it can help you financially.

In fact, even if you are able to get a home security system for the property, it can still be a good idea to get this insurance. You will find that most of the policies available are under $30 a month. This can vary based on how much insurance you need.

Are these things a perfect alternative to having a home security system? Not at all. However, they can help, and if you aren’t able to get a system in your place, you will want to do everything that you can.

Consider Your Options

As you can see, just because you are a renter, it doesn’t mean you can’t be secure. Take the time to talk with your landlord. Look at all of the various options you have. Do what you need to do to keep your home safe.